The state of the ACC’s Atlantic Division, and conference newcomer Syracuse’s place in it, has not changed much since the preseason.

Clemson and Florida State are the heavyweights. Everyone else is everyone else.

Sure, Boston College is better than expected. N.C. State probably isn’t as good as they looked even a couple weeks ago. But the setup is essentially the same. There are two teams in an elite tier, and there’s not much else separating the remaining five teams.

When the picture is muddled like that, possessing an obvious strength can provide a difference. And Syracuse, which ran for 323 yards in a loss to Clemson and then rushed for 362 yards in Saturday’s victory at N.C. State, has a blindingly obvious strength.

While the weather didn’t help Orange quarterback Terrel Hunt on Saturday, the past two weeks have revealed his greatest asset in Syracuse’s offense isn’t his passing ability but rather the threat of what he can accomplish on the run. Against respectable (or better) defenses, his presence alone is an element that alleviates pressure on the offensive line and opens opportunities for Jerome Smith and Prince-Tyson Gulley.

Syracuse is 3-3, visits a reeling Georgia Tech bunch next week and has three winnable home games remaining (Wake Forest, Pittsburgh, Boston College). Maryland is significantly less imposing without C.J. Brown (concussion) at quarterback, as it demonstrated by squeaking past Virginia in a game the Terrapins probably should have lost.

So, is Syracuse the best of the rest in the Atlantic? It’s way too soon to declare that. But it is in the conversation, and so long as it maintains an effective running game, it will probably remain there.

Here are nine other takeaways from the weekend that was in the conference:

The looming Clemson-Florida State game retained its luster (barely). The likely top-five showdown between Clemson and Florida State on Saturday is the most noteworthy game between ACC teams in a long, long while. And Clemson nearly spoiled the fun by going out and almost losing to Boston College.

Credit the Eagles for playing well in the 24-14 loss. But Clemson generously lost two fumbles, had two turnovers on downs and missed a short field goal in the first half. It’s tough for any team to maintain an elite level of play, and the Tigers won their previous two games by a combined 105-21. Still, this victory demonstrates Clemson can’t be counted upon to blow out everyone in its path.

Virginia Tech keeps winning in distinctly Virginia Tech fashion. What an ideal way for Virginia Tech to become bowl eligible. The Hokies (6-1, 3-0 ACC) handled Pittsburgh 19-9, which is just about the perfect score to illustrate what Virginia Tech is all about.

The Hokies have allowed eight touchdowns during their six-game winning streak. They’ve averaged fewer than 22 points over the last five contests, and it doesn’t matter so long as they’re playing teams of similar or lesser talent because of an exceptional defense and a priority on minimizing mistakes. With Duke and Boston College up next, there’s little reason to believe the Hokies won’t extend their streak to at least eight.

Pittsburgh has found its middle-of-the-pack level. While some teams across the country remain a bit of a mystery, Pittsburgh has done a fine job in its first five games of establishing just what it is. Namely, a decent but not great team that looks like it is ticketed for a 6-6 or 7-5 season.

The Panthers (3-2, 2-2) are not among the top-shelf ACC teams; the opening loss to Florida State and Saturday’s quiet offensive day at Virginia Tech determined that. Pitt did defeat Duke and Virginia, but not without some headaches. The Panthers are decidedly middle-of-the-road, though the future still appears brighter than the present.

There’s no reason for Virginia coach Mike London to play things safe. The most striking thing about the box score from Virginia’s 27-26 loss at Maryland is how the Cavaliers’ final point total didn’t reflect the opportunities they piled up thanks to an offense that rolled up 505 total yards.

Virginia made four field goals, all inside of 28 yards. The last of the bunch came with 7:11 to play, when London opted for a field goal to increase the lead to 26-20 when he faced a fourth-and-1 on the Maryland 8. The Terrapins scored a touchdown six plays later, and the best Virginia could do the rest of the way was a missed 42-yard field goal in the closing seconds.

The Cavaliers (2-4) have dropped three in a row and just aren’t in position to play things conservatively. A struggling team is difficult enough for a team’s fanbase to deal with. One dedicated to a cautious approach is even more of a chore.

Apply the same advice just given to London to Steve Addazio. In the big picture, Addazio’s done a fabulous job in his first year at Boston College. The Eagles, a complete laughingstock last year, were competitive with Florida State a few weeks back and led at Clemson entering the fourth quarter on Saturday. He’s maximized (or at least come close to maximizing) what he inherited.

Still, down 10, out of timeouts with 6:35 to play and facing a fourth-and-2 at your 27 while facing a potent offense, you pretty much have to go for it. Your chances of seeing the ball two more times are slim, and punting essentially concedes the game. But that’s what Addazio did.

Whether Clemson won 24-14 (the final score) or 31-14, this was still going down as a fine showing for Boston College. Given how little the 3-3 Eagles had to lose (they’ve already exceeded their victory total from last season), trying to convert the fourth down was the more prudent option.

Georgia Tech needs to get well and pronto. Time for a little math for Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets are 3-3. They have two FCS opponents on their schedule, including their opening pasting of Elon. That means a late-November date with Alabama A&M does nothing to help their bowl eligibility since only one FCS triumph counts toward the six needed. They also have to play Clemson and Georgia.

So assuming Georgia Tech doesn’t pull off a surprise against one of those teams, it needs to beat Syracuse, Virginia and Pittsburgh in the next three weeks to become bowl eligible. Doable? Yes. But given the Yellow Jackets’ struggles the last three weeks, they need to regroup in a hurry. It doesn’t hurt to get two of the next three at home, but this is still a struggling team.

Anthony Boone is already well, and that bodes well for Duke. Coach David Cutcliffe insisted in recent weeks Boone would resume his role as the Blue Devils quarterback when he was healthy, even as backup Brandon Connette piled up touchdowns. That was a good call for Coach Cut.

Boone completed 31 of 38 for 295 yards and three touchdowns in his first action in more than a month as the Blue Devils shredded Navy 35-7. Duke (4-2) needs two more victories to become bowl eligible for the second straight year, still gets to face the vulnerable quartet of North Carolina, N.C. State, Virginia and Wake Forest and now has its starting quarterback again. Things are looking up in Durham.

Sam Hollenbach remained the answer to one trivia question but is no longer the answer for another. Hollenbach, who started 24 games for Maryland between 2004 and 2006, was the last quarterback to lead the Terrapins to a victory over Virginia at home. He did that in 2005, and Maryland lost three straight to the Cavaliers in College Park before Saturday’s victory.

So now Caleb Rowe takes over that honor. Of course, Rowe getting the call in place of the concussed C.J. Brown ensures Maryland’s drought since its last wire-to-wire starting quarterback (Hollenbach in 2006) reached seven years. Rowe is inconsistent and not nearly the threat in the rushing game Brown is, and the Terps (5-1, 1-1 ACC) just aren’t as potent on offense without their usual starter.

It’s no exaggeration to declare N.C. State’s bye came at a good time. These are not fun times in Raleigh, where N.C. State dropped to 0-3 in the ACC with a loss to Syracuse. Opening week starter Brandon Mitchell (broken foot) dressed but didn’t play against the Orange, and backup Pete Thomas struggled in lousy conditions and left with an injury in the fourth quarter that isn't expected to cost him any more time.

Clearly, Mitchell wasn’t ready just yet; otherwise the Wolfpack would have tossed him out rather quickly against Syracuse. But if he was well enough to give warmups a shot, he probably isn’t too far from returning. Mitchell’s original six-to-eight week prognosis brought the distinct possibility of him returning Oct. 26 at Florida State. That might just come to fruition.